The Decameron

The short story cycle on which this this show is based (also called The Decameron) was originally written by the Tuscan scholar and poet Boccaccio during the mid-1300s (probably between 1348 and 1353) and is considered a foundational piece of Italian and Western literature. Set during the time of a mass plague (the bubonic plague / "Black Death" of the 1340s and '50s), the premise of The Decameron is that ten people who are sequestered in a remote countryside villa to escape the plague-ridden city pass the time by telling each other stories. Viewers who are surprised by some of the sexual content of this TV series may be unaware that Boccaccio's original text was banned by papal decree at various times throughout history for perceived anti-clericalism (including sexual content involving clergy).